This invention relates generally to automobile hubcaps and, more particularly, to a hubcap device that enables the vehicle to be personalized by receiving picture inserts and including lighting features dependent on ambient light conditions and vehicle motion.
Vehicle customization has become very popular as a means of personal expression. Personalized tags, bumper stickers, painting, decals, collectible license plates, or other ornamental devices are all ways in which a vehicle owner may demonstrate his personality and individuality. However, displaying pictures, posters, or other generally opaque images upon a vehicle's windows may be unsafe and displaying them on the surface of the vehicle may cause damage to the finish.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for inserting pictures into a vehicle wheel hubcap so that the picture may be viewable as the vehicle is driven. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices and proposals are not useful for many varieties of vehicle wheels, are not user-friendly for interchanging picture inserts, or do not provide appropriate lighting for various ambient lighting situations.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device into which desired pictures or images may be inserted interchangeably for attachment to vehicle wheel. Further, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device having a backlighting feature so that the picture may be viewed in dim or dark lighting conditions. Still further, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device that spins upon vehicle motion and varies the spinning and lighting features depending on motion and ambient lighting conditions.